News
June 2015
Screenings and Distribution
Mr. Lockjaw - Pilot
Happy to have the pilot for Mr. Lockjaw go up on Vimeo on Demand on June 17th.
I think the quality is where it needs to be to have a shot at some volume.
Right now it is set to play the beginning for free, then there's a little interstitial of me and Mr. Lockjaw popping in to ask folks to pay up to watch the rest of the episode.
The low-ball strategy on pricing, only $1.99, has some precedent.
For example, in an interview with Andy Weir he noted that his novel Martian, now a Hollywood movie, was previously online for only $0.99.
Now on to push the marketing and festival run. I'd love for us to pick up funding to do more episodes because there's a great character arc for the ventriloquist, not to mention some amazing crimes, in the season outline.
Decent Humans - Comedy Short
Released this month, Screwed Out of Tips, bad tipping practice is called out in a variety of scenes, sort of like a passive aggressive PSA. I got to play a pretentious (douchy, shortchanging, conservative, patriarchal) dad with trophy wife in a short showing various ways servers (Ken Maclaughlin and Leanna Adams) get short-shifted on tips. With many other funny cheaters, including: Brian Troxell and Steven Teuchert (pictured), Kim Hamilton, Alexa Rachelle, Dave Deutschle, Atkins Estimond, Norio Nishimura, Teresa Graves, Tony Grillo, Chris Clabo, and Abbey Finch.
Production
Games - Feature Cold Open
Somewhere in the midst of those palettes I am fighting for my life ― fog machines on full and temps in the 90s.
It is for the cold open of an action thriller by the producers of Morningside Monster.
This one is in the vein of The Most Dangerous Game or The Running Man with axes.
This makes 3-for-3 with Chris Ethridge and Jayson Palmer making me a murder victim! This makes the third of Jayson's characters I've played where I play a psycho.
The Interns - Part 1
I am scheduled for 4 days on set of The Interns starting this month. My role of hard-ass alcoholic detective is pitted against some rookies in this crime drama. And yes, the rookies get in way over their head on this one.
Bad Blood The Movie
I thought I was wrapped for this movie in April, after 3 days of pickups but no; one more pickup this month: a scene that I thought had been long ago cut to spare total runtime. I like to think they wanted more sexy in this horror because it's the only scene with me in just my underwear.
Decent Humans - Comedy Short
Fun and quick dinner table scene in the "Cat Actor" short by Decent Humans. I'm channeling my best uptight passive aggressive parent in a bit with Jean Alexander, starring Ken MacLaughlin and Leanna Adams.
Post production
Hope - Sci Fi Short
Picture lock was last month, and now Hope is in final audio mix and color correction. I wrapped up ADR for my Major Tom-esque character this month with a couple hours in a sound studio. Easy too: just whimpering and blubbering noises. A long time in post (filming was last July) as Frank and Sheena did all the painstaking CG and greenscreen work.
Mr. Lockjaw
Byron and Justin got me in to record a few sound bites to finalize the cut of Mr Lockjaw going up on Vimeo on Demand. A song that we used in the theatrical screening was unavailable for licensing so we substituted an original composition. That, plus some other tiny tweaks, made for a wrap. Meanwhile, I fleshed out the official website with more content, graphics, and matching pallete. Also, a draft of the electronic press kit is up there too.
Events
Biz Tech 2015
Lara Hodgson is charming, energetic, well-spoken, and smart. We both graduated in 93 (her AE, me CS) but her accomplishments should chagrin most grads. They did me. With "an engineering mind and a liberal arts personality," she saw a need for B2B AR financing, and founded the NOWaccount Network to do it.
Her keynote presentation on Leading Through Distruptive Change went into details with many good takeaways: Make your resumé a reckoning of impacts, of "so what" instead of "what." Failure is awesome: you're more likely to grow when you're trying and failing than when you only do what you excel at. Keep it simple and focus on the demand side, on the behavior. Hire people for their mind-set, not their skill set. Disruption comes from asking why? Be real, be authentic, be genuine.
Good advice, regardless of major.
Film Bar Mondays
At the Independent June 1st, Joystick (8th), Argosy (15th), and Mac McGee's (22nd)
Wonder Root Short Film Series
Wonder Root's Generally Local Mostly Independent Film Series, partnered with the Atlanta Film Festival, showcases local short films, animations, music videos, avant garde and experimental shorts. June 18th at the Plaza. I especially liked "Friends of Mine" which was the audience choice award winner. Congrats to exec. producer Dominick Racano.
Atlanta Film Festival - Eat, Drink, & B*Indie
Panel discussion with the programmers for several local film festivals, June 16th at Manuel's Tavern. Neat to see the panel included Shellie Schmalls, my old 2 Girls3 Eyes team improviser.